Considered by many as the role that made her the star that she is today, some speculate that if Jennifer Lopez hadn’t played the “Mexican Madonna,” Selena, she might have just become another one-hit wonder in the world of late ’90s latin pop.

After years of watching Lopez grow and change has a woman and artist, we think she would have gone far by herself, but her amazing acting as the role of the tragically murdered Selena did help.